Need help... Most basic Mac dilema: Mac or Intel WS

[AlphaTech]

One, go with at least a 1.2GHz if you are going with a p3 chipset. Check out what Toshiba has to offer as well as MirconPC. They both have thin laptops (14.1" display and less).

IF you want a powerful laptop, that's not all that thick, and will [probably] behave for the most part, I'd have to recommend looking at IBM's T30 laptop. It's about 1-3/8" thick and is a p4 processor. You can get it built-to-order/customized with win2k (instead of xp). You should also check out IBM's X30 laptop, which is the 12.1" display model.

Although if you want to do some serious video editing (even as a hobby), a p3 processor is NOT what you want.

 

[law guy]

Originally posted by AlphaTech
One, go with at least a 1.2GHz if you are going with a p3 chipset. Check out what Toshiba has to offer as well as MirconPC. They both have thin laptops (14.1" display and less).

IF you want a powerful laptop, that's not all that thick, and will [probably] behave for the most part, I'd have to recommend looking at IBM's T30 laptop. It's about 1-3/8" thick and is a p4 processor. You can get it built-to-order/customized with win2k (instead of xp). You should also check out IBM's X30 laptop, which is the 12.1" display model.

Although if you want to do some serious video editing (even as a hobby), a p3 processor is NOT what you want.

You and I have the same tastes in the intel notebook world. I actually was considering a T30 for awhile. My wife has an X30 that her firm owns, but the docking station bit is just not for me. Thinkpads tend to be little workhorse tanks. I use the R-series a good deal at work. But what I meant to convey in all those run-on sentences in my last post was that an intel notebook was not in the running, and my conflict between desktop and notebook really started when I settled on a Macintosh again - both can work with (so it appears from what people have posted) programs like video editing well.

Back to what was said earlier re: the 12" above by Cubist - it really depends on the components of the rest of the set up. For example, if I were only to have one Mac now and it were a laptop, I'd want the 17" to be the all-in-one wonder, but if I were to go with a desktop G4, then the notebook really becomes like a little sattelite machine and because it doesn't have to do everything as well, a 12" might be just the thing.

 

[KingArthur]

Originally posted by crazzyeddie
I use OS 10.2 , and my friend uses XP Pro.

Ive reinstalled my system once, because I had too many third-party utilities installed; it was by choice.

My friend has HAD to reinstall his system 7 times because of viruses. He has a virus now that hes 'just going to live with' because hes sick of losing all of his data, since you cant backup after you get the virus.

Ive been using Macs for 10 going on 11 years and have NEVER had a virus, and I download anything i want and have no virus protection.

Security and stability: Mac is the clear winner.

What your friend needs to do is to get a partitioner program and partition the drive into two drives, one for data and one for the system/programs. When you reinstall the system that way, you still retain anything that was on the data partition.

As far as people have mentioned about getting a Duel AMD machine, if you are intending to pay a decent price and have a build-your-own computer, I would wait a little longer for Intel to release their P4 Prescott processor. It has improvement in its hyperthreading technology (which isn't even an option in the AMD chips) that decreases the problems with resource starvation. I don't support Intel, but it looks as though this chip is going to be the best PC chip on the market.

Also, just b/c we are mac fans doesn't mean that most of us don't use both Wintel and Apple machines on a regular basis. I use a P4 laptop on a daily basis and have my old mac just sitting there with my music and such. I honestly believe that I should give credit where credit is due, and therefore can't say that Apples don't have their shortcommings compared to Windows machines, but then again, Windows machines have shortcommings, too. I prefer the total Apple experiance myself, though.

 

[law guy]

BIG NEWS

I've just ordered a dual 1.42 GHz from iJon's family's shop. It should be here on Wednesday and I have high hopes.

A word about iJon's shop - They are going to take the machine out and boot it up, make sure everything appears to be working well - no strange fan or time/date glitches, that sort of thing. iJon's mother is a delightful person and I would recommend their shop for a pleasant and personalized buying experience that's out of the ordinary. Apple has a real asset there.

Many thanks for everyone's advice and observations over the past few days. It has been invaluable and is appreciated.